Northamptonshire social worker suspended after failing to keep accurate records of 64 children

Callum Jones

A Northamptonshire County Council social worker has been suspended for a year after failing to keep accurate records for 64 children in care.

A panel of the Health and Care Professions Council’s (HCPC) Conduct and Competence Committee heard that Lee Higginbottom was responsible for a number of failings while working as an Independent Review and Conference Officer.

The panel heard he did not keep accurate records for approximately 87 Statutory Looked After Children Reviews, relating to 64 children.

Mr Higginbottom also failed to keep his managers proactively informed about the significant backlog of his work, with reports of a “disconnect” between what they were told and “reality”.

The panel ruled to suspend the name of Lee Robert Patrick Higginbottom from the HCPC Register for a period of 12 months on the grounds of misconduct.

Panel Chair Polly Clarke said: “The panel concluded that a suspension order of this duration demonstrates how seriously the we regard Mr Higginbottom’s failings in fulfilling statutory duties which were fundamental to his role and vital to service users.

“It also concluded that such an order would provide the appropriate level of deterrent to other social workers.”